Apple Vegetable Stuffing
Makes 12 to 14 Cups

This recipe makes enough to stuff a 14-pound bird with some left over. It can also be baked in two 9x9-inch baking pans. Vary ingredients to suit your taste.

1 pound sausage,* diced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium leeks, chopped (white and pale green parts only)
2 medium apples (Granny Smith or other), peeled, cored, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped celery with leaves
2 medium carrots or parsnips or rutabagas, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons chopped dried rosemary
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
10 cups gluten-free/dairy-free bread,** crust removed, cut into
3/4-inch cubes, toasted
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 eggs or flax gel (see page 62) or omit eggs and add 1/2 cup additional liquid
1 to 1 1/2 cups gluten-free chicken broth
3/4 cup chestnut or walnut pieces, toasted, optional

1. Brown sausage in 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet and transfer to a large bowl.
2. In the same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add leeks, apples, celery, carrots and poultry seasoning. Saut» until leeks and carrots soften, about 4 to 6 minutes. Pour into the bowl with the cooked sausage and blend.
3. Add rosemary, parsley and toasted bread cubes to sausage mixture. Stir gently to combine. Season stuffing to taste with salt and pepper. This recipe can be prepared a day ahead to this point. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Beat eggs with 1 cup chicken broth. Toss stuffing with egg mixture. Add chestnuts or walnuts, if using. Stuffing should be moist but not wet. If it’s too dry, add more broth. Check seasonings by browning a spoonful of stuffing in a skillet or heating it in the microwave until cooked. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. Divide the stuffing into two portions. Cook one portion in the turkey.
6. Place remaining stuffing in a lightly oiled baking dish and cover with oiled foil. Bake alongside the stuffed bird about 45 to 60 minutes in 325 to 350-degree oven. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until stuffing is golden brown on top.

Each serving contains: 311 calories, 15g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 58mg cholesterol, 36g carbohydrate, 335 sodium, 2g fiber, 9g protein

*TIP Try chicken-apple sausage, Italian sausage, breakfast sausage or spicy andouille sausage.

**TIP 10 cups is equivalent to a large loaf of bread. Toast the cubes in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes. Ten cups of commercially prepared gluten-free stuffing cubes may be used.

Talking Turkey

Follow these tips for dressing your bird:

Cook It
Never stuff your turkey with dressing that contains uncooked ingredients, such as raw meat.

Enhance It
Flavor pan-baked stuffing with pan juices from the turkey or with giblet broth, made by simmering giblets on the stove.

Stuff It
Fill the turkey cavity loosely to give the dressing room to expand and to help the turkey cook more evenly.

Hold It
Don’t stuff the turkey until right before you place the bird in the oven.

Store It
Refrigerate leftover turkey and stuffing within two hours after roasting. Place leftovers in shallow containers and use them within three to four days.

 

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